The present invention relates to sporting activities, and more particularly to the sport of ice hockey, wherein a particular and significant aspect of the sport relates to the development of shooting skills for accurately shooting a hockey puck into a net past a goaltender.
The sport of ice hockey has progressed in the development of skating, shooting and goaltending skills to a point wherein one may predict the defensive moves which result from most offensive play situations. In particular, the skills of goaltending have evolved into the solution of rather elementary geometry and physics problems, wherein the goaltender intuitively positions himself between the shooter and the goal net at a distance from the goal net wherein the goaltender's silhouette most nearly obscures the total net from all possible lines of flight of the hockey puck from the shooting point. In this situation, the goaltender is frequently some distance away from the front of the net in order to provide the largest blocking silhouette from the point of shooting. From the offensive point of view, this defensive move requires extremely accurate shooting skills in order that the puck may be fired into the narrow portion of the net which remains unobscured by the goaltender's silhouette. The development of accurate shooting skills can only be accomplished through constant and intensive practice, but extended practice by all of the members of the hockey team over considerable time periods is extremely wearing on goaltenders. High probability of injury to the goaltender exists, especially when hundreds of high velocity shots are aimed at or near the goaltender over an extended time period.
On the other hand, if a goaltender is not used to help develop these skills, a very unrealistic practice activity results. It is difficult, if not impossible, for a hockey player to determine whether any given shot would have escaped the goaltender's silhouette had the goaltender been in position and, as a result, this form of practice usually results in the players aiming more or less for the center of the goal.
In the prior art the problem has been addressed in various ways, none of which are totally satisfactory. U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,228, issued Oct. 8, 1974 discloses a V-shaped board which is attached to and positioned slightly in front of the goal net. A goaltender image is drawn thereon, but the entire board acts as a deflecting surface for pucks which may be shot generally in the direction of the goal. This invention provides a generally unsatisfactory result in the development of the skills described herein, for it only simulates a target shooting condition relatively close to the goal, and the area of the board surface is considerably larger than the goaltender's silhouette, providing an unrealistic practice shooting target. U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,298, issued Dec. 24, 1974 discloses a perforated board surface covering the entire goal net opening. The idea of this invention is to provide passages through the board at selective locations in order that skills might be developed in aiming for these openings. This invention may assist in the development of accuracy skills, but it is unrealistic in the sense that the shooter is not faced with a realistic situation for shooting from long distances, wherein the actual goaltender is spaced a considerable distance in front of the goal net and between the shooter and the net. The accuracy skills developed in utilizing this invention may not be applicable to actual game conditions. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,181, issued June 3, 1975, discloses a full coverage board surface over the goal mouth, having selective openings which may be controllably opened and closed for developing accuracy in shooting. This invention also presents an unrealistic target situation for shooters firing at the goal from a distance in front of the goal. The shooter is not confronted with a goaltender's silhouette intermediate himself and the goal and spaced any distance at all from the front of the goal mouth. U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,675, issued Oct. 16, 1973 utilizes a slightly different approach to the development of these skills, in this invention, a large enclosure is utilized to confine the shooter and a simulated goaltender and net. The goaltender is mechanically movable across the goal mouth and the shooter attempts to aim the puck at areas of the net uncovered while the goaltender has moved to another area of the net. This invention may provide some aid in assisting the development of skills in shooting at a moving target or shooting away from a moving target, but it suffers from the same disadvantages recited for the other prior art patents.